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It’s a problem when one dog doesn’t get along with other dogs of the same sex. This may be happening within a multiple dog household or with other dogs in the neighborhood. It’s a problem that can be dangerous and horrific for everyone involved.
Does your female dog not get along with other female dogs? If so, you’ve come to the right place. We understand this can be a scary thing for you and your dog. So, we’ve put together some information about what causes a female not to get along with others and what you can do to help her with this issue. Let’s get started!
What Causes Fighting Between Female Dogs?
Here are some of the reasons that may cause a female dog not to get along with other female canines:
Establishing Hierarchy
Dogs are social animals that live in packs (in the wild). In a pack, there is usually one female and one male that are the alpha dogs. These are the dogs in charge, and all other dogs follow their lead. If there’s a female that challenges that alpha female, the result is a fight. The alpha female tries to maintain her dominance within the pack.
If you live in a multiple-dog household, you may not be aware that your dogs have an arranged hierarchy in their pack. Even if you only have two female dogs, one is always the top dog. So, one female dog may try to take over the top role from this alpha female, and the dogs may get into a fight. This is normal behavior, especially if the dogs have not been spayed.
Competing for Breeding Rights
Another common issue with female dogs is that they may compete for breeding rights. This may happen in your household, or your dog may try to assert her right to breed over other female dogs in the neighborhood. Again, this is normal canine behavior.
It may help to have your female dog spayed, though she may still try to assert her dominance after the surgery, too.
Hormonal Changes
This issue goes along with the previous two. When you have two dogs in your home, and neither is spayed, they may not get along when they’re in heat. The dogs may become moody, overly excited, and experience other changes due to their estrus cycles.
The heat cycles can exacerbate the relationship between female dogs, causing them to fight, especially if there’s an intact male living in the same home or nearby.
A couple of other causes for female dogs not getting along can include:
Access to resources: one dog may block the other’s access to food, water, toys, and even the pet parent(s)
Seeking attention: the dogs may try to gain the pet parent’s attention
Rivalry for privileged areas: dogs may have some favorite areas they guard, such as a doorway to the kitchen, sleeping areas, food areas, and more.
How to Solve the Problem
If you have two female dogs who are not getting along and neither has been spayed, spaying may solve the problem. However, if you’re not able to solve the problem any other way, it’s a good idea to consult the vet to ensure both dogs are in good health.
The vet may also recommend contacting a dog trainer or a dog behaviorist to help find a solution to the problem of the female dogs not getting along!
Connect with a verified veterinarian in minutes. Licensed vets are available 24/7 to answer your questions. No need to worry about your furry family member.
Kim
Kim is a talented author, who loves animals especially dogs. She engaged in writing books and articles relating to animals a decade ago. Kim resides in Chicago with her husband and son. The family is the proud owner of a dog and a parrot (Jack and Lily). Kim wanted more than these two pets, but her husband put his foot down... She often visits elementary schools to talk to the kids about what she learned about pets and how they could learn from them.
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